Unseasonable weather brings large crowd to holiday season kickoff

Saturday began the Christmas season in downtown Sturgis, but apparently no one told the weather man.Unseasonably warm at 53 degrees, the public came out in full force to talk to Santa Claus, ride in a carriage, pet lambs and reindeer and drink hot chocolate.

Saturday began the Christmas season in downtown Sturgis, but apparently no one told the weather man.

Unseasonably warm at 53 degrees, the public came out in full force to talk to Santa Claus, ride in a carriage, pet lambs and reindeer and drink hot chocolate.

At 5:30 p.m., Joe Myers was headed out to make more hot chocolate. Already they had gone through 15 gallons, he said.

For the lighting of Free Church Park at 5:30 p.m., members of the Sturgis High School band and choir played and sang several Christmas carols each and Mary Lou Falkenstein read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” for a group of children who gathered on the stage.